Star Wars: The Lord of Terrabyss
by Hamilchar
Summary: In the dark days of the Great Galactic War, a young Force-user is separated from his master. kidnapped and taken to an unfamiliar planet, Kes Vunu must learn to survive his own way in a treacherous galaxy filled with horrors he could never have anticipated.
1. Chapter 1

**An Empire Reborn**

"_Korriban shall be as it always was: a graveyard for the darkest of the Sith Lords, still whispering within their tombs. It shall always be a source of evil, spawning threats throughout the millenia. It, like Malachor, brushes the edges of the empire that waits in the dark. And like Malachor, the Sith have forgotten it – for a time. They will remember."_

_Darth Traya_

Malgus stood on the hangar deck of the orbital security station. Throughout the hangar, crates and fuel canisters had been overturned, and the wreckage of Republic fighters littered the floor. Small tongues of flame licked up puddles of spilled fuel. At the feet of the Sith warrior lay a body, its black robe barely concealing the ugly wound where Malgus had delivered the death blow.

Five minutes ago, Malgus was an apprentice, second in command in the invasion of the planet below. Now, as the final spark of life fled Lord Vindican's body, Malgus was sole commander of the attacking forces. And, with the battle all but won, he looked out on his conquest.

The red planet Korriban. Ancient birthplace of the Sith. For a thousand years the planet had been abandoned. The ancient Sith Empire had fallen at the end of the Great Hyperspace War, and the survivors had been exiled from the seat of their power, separated from the burial site of their most venerated dark lords. Defeated and broken, the last traces of the once-mighty Sith Empire had disappeared into the mystery of the Unknown Regions.

But – after a thousand years in exile – the Sith had returned.

The dark shadow of a new Empire had fallen across the Galactic Republic. A millennium of relative peace had been shattered as an entire fleet of _Harrower_-class dreadnoughts had entered the Aparo Sector of the Tingel Arm. Located in the Outer Rim of the galaxy, far removed from the strength of the Core Worlds, the Aparo Sector and then the entire Tingel Arm had fallen rapidly before the Sith onslaught.

The Republic had quickly diverted troops and ships from the nearby sectors to reestablish their dominance in the area, but they had vastly underestimated the attackers. Their reinforcements were unable to retake the Tingel Arm, while their absence in the Horuset System left Korriban open for invasion. The Republic troops on the space station in orbit around the planet had all been slaughtered, along with the Jedi Master Kao Cen Darach. But Vindican's incompetence had allowed Darach's padawan to escape aboard a smuggler's ship. She would carry the news back to the Republic.

Malgus refused to tolerate such incompetence, even from his superiors. If the Sith were to win this new war, they would have to strike at full strike, without hesitation. There could be no survivors.

Raising his hand, Malgus reached out through the Force to the body of his former master. Lifting it gently, he extended his arm. The body slowly drifted away from him. With a final, sudden push, Lord Vindican slipped through the energy shield that separated the hangar from the void of space. The empty yellow eyes of the Sith glared back at Malgus, condemning him for his betrayal of the one who had taught him the ways of the Dark Side, the one who had shown him his true potential.

Malgus turned away from his unseeing gaze as he sensed the approach of another follower of the Dark Side. Moments later, the red glow of a lightsaber emerged from the corridor beyond the hangar, and with it came Bishaati Vortu, a Sith warrior of the formidable Annoo Dat Prime species.

He had led the team charged with capturing one of the station's other hangars. Now that the battle was over, he had apparently decided to search the remainder of the station for any stray survivors. The four eyes of the reptilian warrior studied Malgus as Bishaati approached, and the thin tongue darted out from between his pointed teeth, tasting the air around him. The red double-bladed saber in his hand shut off as his eyes finally came to rest on the black-robed figured floating outside the hangar.

Malgus pointed to the dead form of a Zabrak Jedi on the floor some yards away.

The Annoo Dat Prime nodded as he stepped forward to stand beside Malgus. His guarded expression made it difficult to judge whether he had bought into Malgus' lie or not. But even if he suspected Vindican's apprentice, he said nothing, choosing instead to silently pay his respects to the fallen Sith lord. After all, his own master had been slain under similarly dubious conditions just a few weeks earlier, at the start of the Tingel Arm Campaign.

As Malgus returned his gaze to Korriban, he thought of what the future would hold for the newly-reborn Sith Empire. He finally met Vindican's dead gaze, remembering the last words spoken by the Sith lord before his death.

"This… is only… the beginning."

Looking over at his fellow Sith warrior, Malgus knew Vindican was right. The war would drag on for years. Young warriors – like the two who stood here now – would face many battles and trials. But they would face many triumphs as well. And, in what he hoped was a moment of true foresight, Malgus knew they would both earn the title of Darth before the horrible, magnificent conflict came to an end.

It was the will of the Force. The Republic would fall, and a new Sith Empire – unrivalled throughout history – would rise up to take its place in the galaxy. Malgus could see the path ahead as clearly as he could see the lifeless corpse above Korriban.

There was no force in the universe that could stand against the true power of the Dark Side.


	2. Chapter 2

**Ashes of Coruscant**

Twenty-eight years had passed since the Battle of Korriban. As Malgus had foreseen, both he and Bishaati had gained the rank of Darth. While Darth Malgus had kept the name given him by Vindican, the Annoo Dat Prime had chosen to be known as Darth Perusak. The war had continued, with heavy losses on both sides. But the emerging Empire had grown stronger, gradually pushing the armies of the Republic back – along with their Jedi guardians. The ancient Sith homeworld now served as a training ground for a new generation of Sith warriors, who would carry the fight to the very heart of the Republic.

Among these acolytes, Darth Perusak had found an apprentice. His close friend Malgus had not. The rage of the dark lord was limitless, and while the Annoo Dat Prime seemed content to pass on the teachings of the Sith Order to his young apprentice, Darth Malgus had no time for anything but battle. The only person he seemed to care about was his slave, the Twi'lek Eleena Daru.

Personally, Darth Perusak had never fully trusted Eleena. Despite her devotion to Malgus, he knew she hated the Empire passionately and wanted the war to end. Darth Malgus, on the other hand, lived only for war. His increasing thirst for violence also worried Perusak, who suspected that Malgus' lust for battle was greater than his devotion to the Empire. Fortunately for now, those two devotions aligned.

As Malgus had once told his good friend, "I fight because that is what I was born to do, and the Empire is the instrument through which I achieve my destiny. The Empire of the Sith is war incarnate. That is why it is perfect."

And now their time had finally come. A fleet of Sith warships sat poised to strike at Coruscant, the capital and crown jewel of the Galactic Republic. Their commander was Darth Angral, who knew full well that a direct assault against the capital's defenses would be pointless. But the Emperor had come up with a plan for that, and both Darth Malgus and Darth Perusak would play a part in that plan.

Deception was the only way such a bold attack could succeed. An offer of peace – an end to the seemingly endless war – had been extended to the Republic. Imperial and Republic delegations met on the planet Alderaan for the peace talks. But while the eyes of the galaxy were focused on the prospect of peace, an inconspicuous shuttle slipped through Coruscant's security.

Aboard Darth Angral's flagship, Darth Perusak kept his eyes on the screen in front of him. A few steps behind him, his apprentice watched the screen as well. His fingers tapped absently on the lightsaber that hung at his belt.

Kes Vunu was of the Kel Dor species. Far from his homeworld, the orange-skinned alien could not breathe the oxygen-rich air of human worlds and ships, and so his face was covered with a bio-mask. Dark goggles obscured his eyes. In spite of the way his expressions were concealed, his master could sense the apprehension beneath the surface layer of his Force-aura. The young Sith had followed his master into many battles, but none so far into Republic territory. Coruscant was the ultimate prize, and everyone in the fleet knew it would be well defended.

"Don't be concerned, my apprentice," the Annoo Dat Prime hissed calmly. "This is a battle, just like any other. Whether we live or die rests with the Force. If you must think of the danger, use it to strengthen your resolve. Win or lose, this will be a glorious battle."

Kes nodded at his words, remembering also the speech Darth Malgus had given before his shuttle had left the main fleet to infiltrate the planet.

"Our time has come," he had declared. "For three hundred years we have prepared for this day. We grew stronger, while they rested in the cradle of their power, believing themselves to be safe and protected. The Jedi are trusted to lead the Republic, but we have deceived them. Our power in the Dark Side has blinded them. They assume no force can challenge them. But now, finally, we have returned."

Kes would never forget the chill in the voice of the Sith lord, or the hatred burning in his eyes as he had turned to look at the holo-screen, where Coruscant glittered like a shining jewel. "They have been deceived," he had finished, "and now their Republic shall fall."

The signal to attack flashed on the screen.

With the roaring of sub-light engines, the Imperial warships descended on Coruscant. In sheer terror, the populace darted for any shelter they could find, as Sith fighters rained death from the skies. The first shuttle, carrying no less than fifty Sith warriors, crashed into the massive gates of the Jedi temple. The team led by Malgus had successfully shut down the planet's defenses, and Coruscant was ripe for the taking.

As the bombardment continued, three more shuttles with their own contingents of Sith warriors descended on the planet. Darth Angral and his guards made their way to the office of the Supreme Chancellor.

Scattered resistance here and there shot down a handful of fighters and one of the transports, but the outcome of the battle was decided before it even began. With the Jedi temple in ruins, and the Supreme Chancellor of the Republic dead at Darth Angral's hands, Coruscant had fallen. With such a hostage, the entire Republic sat precariously in Imperial hands.

In spite of their victory, Darth Perusak suffered a loss of his own that day. He and his apprentice were aboard the shuttle that was shot down. As flames erupted in the engine, and the shuttle began its nose-dive toward the surface of the planet, the Sith on board hurriedly leapt from the plummeting wreckage. Most made their way successfully to the Jedi temple, where they joined their brothers and sisters under Darth Malgus in securing the headquarters of the very organization that had driven them into the Unknown Regions.

It was only after the temple was secure that Darth Perusak realized his apprentice was nowhere to be found among the other Sith. A search was conducted. But, after three days had passed and no trace of the apprentice was found, Kes Vunu was counted among the casualties of the Battle for Coruscant.


	3. Chapter 3

**The Lost Apprentice**

The rumbling of artillery in the distance gradually shook Kes awake.

His head throbbing, the Sith apprentice sat up and looked around him. He was surrounded by rubble, the remains of some civic building. The wreckage of the gunned down transport – his transport – was strewn across almost two miles of Coruscant's streets. He looked up. Far ahead of the crash site, the towers of the Jedi temple stood out against the red, smoke-filled sky, but the temple itself had already fallen.

Kes could feel the despair rising around him as the citizens of the capital realized they were not as safe as they had thought. For years, the war had been a distant problem, a bureaucratic hassle that drained the Republic's resources but ultimately affected the Core Worlds very little. That had changed today. Today, the Republic's greatest monument had fallen. And the young Sith drank in the fear of a rudely-awakened populace.

For a moment, the young Sith reveled in the triumph. But his thoughts quickly turned to his own well-being. As he looked around, Kes realized he was alone. Alone in the midst of a battle on a world he didn't know. His head ached, but he couldn't find any injuries from the crash. But where were the other Sith? The knights of the Empire, and his master Darth Perusak?

He ran a hand over his bio-mask. It seemed to be undamaged. That was good; had it been damaged, he probably would have died already. Next he picked up his lightsaber from amongst the debris and powered it up. Satisfied that both he and his equipment were in good condition in spite of the transport being shot down, Kes folded his legs under him and drew in a deep breath. He needed a moment to focus, to balance himself and learn more about his surroundings.

All around him was chaos and death. It crackled through the air like a living electrical current, its power flowing into him and through him and back into the atmosphere. It was beautiful; tantalizing even. It was the feeling of victory. But Kes was still a little concerned. He couldn't feel his master's presence, or that of any other Sith for that matter.

He sighed deeply, opening his eyes. It seemed the battle had moved on without him.

There was nothing to do, then, but simply make his way forward. Their mission had been to secure the Jedi temple, so that was where he would go, hopefully without encountering local forces who hadn't given up yet. They would relish the opportunity to take out their loss and pain on what they would perceive as a helpless Sith, separated from his compatriots.

Remaining vigilant, scanning the ruins through his thick goggles, Kes made his way slowly toward the once-proud seat of the Jedi Order. Mere hours ago, the temple would have been considered impregnable. Now it was revealed to the entire galaxy as the broken, egotistical shell it had always been. The word of Coruscant's fall would spread throughout the galaxy. The Republic's allies would forsake her, pledging their loyalty to the Sith and their Emperor.

Though his thoughts lingered on the greater struggle, Kes did not neglect his own situation. He stopped suddenly on reaching the end of the alleyway. The block ahead of him had been completely leveled, leaving behind only unrecognizable piles of rubble and the occasional puff of smoke. While it was unlikely anyone remained in this area – alive at least – the young Sith was hesitant to cross such an open space.

One of the first lessons his master had taught him was to avoid open terrain when in hostile territory, as the lack of cover left you vulnerable to ranged attacks. There was really no way to know where a sniper could be hiding amongst the bombed-out buildings.

Still, going around the destroyed area would lengthen his trek to the Jedi temple by hours, and twilight was already beginning to fall on this side of the planet. Kes had no desire to be caught in the dark on a planet where he didn't know the terrain, but where the locals probably knew it devastatingly well. Ultimately, he decided to cross the ruined area. He kept low and held his lightsaber ready in his hand, but he left the plasma weapon turned off to avoid drawing unwanted attention.

Only Jedi and Sith used lightsabers, Darth Perusak had told him in one of their earliest lessons, and Kes suspected that the gleam of the red blade would immediately tell any onlookers which faction he belonged to.

As he walked, he found his thoughts dwelling on the destruction around him. How weak must the people of Coruscant have been to be so unprepared for their attack? He remembered another of the lessons his teacher had drilled into him: remaining vigilant, always expecting an attack and having plans for a counterstrike in place. Coruscant's armed forces, even the mighty Force-wielders of the Jedi Order, had failed to anticipate the Sith's attack. Now their precious capital lay in ruins around them.

Still thinking about the battle, he continued on his path toward the Jedi temple through the gradually darkening sunset. Here and there he saw figures, scurrying through the rubble, but they avoided him for the most part. A handful threw ugly looks his way, but there was nothing more they could do. Not unless they wanted to start an incident that could trigger even harsher terms at the Alderaan talks. Kes could feel their anger, but no actual danger emanating from any of them.

Eventually, though, he did detect something slightly amiss, tugging at the edge of his consciousness.

Someone was stalking him in the darkness.


	4. Chapter 4

**Captured**

Kes was not as strong in the Dark Side as he would have liked.

His training was still incomplete, so even though he could feel a sort of Force-warning, what the threat was or where it came from was a mystery to him. He crept forward silently, holding his lightsaber at the ready, and trusting his natural eyes to reveal the threat his Force vision could not discern. With a surge of energy that gave way to a dull hum, the red plasma blade of his lightsaber came alive in his hand.

The sense of warning increased. Drawing in a deep breath, Kes pushed his entire will into the Force, searching his senses desperately. As other sounds faded, a sudden footfall reverberated through the Force.

Kes spun to face to face the sound. As he turned, he heard the electronic snarl of a blaster firing. His sword arced upward, neatly parrying the blast. With a low snarl of his own, he dropped into a low guard and awaited the next attack. He didn't have to wait long.

Two more shots fired in quick succession. Kes parried the first and dodged the second as he darted forward toward his attacker.

A broad-shouldered Trandoshan stood up from behind a low pile of rubble, continuing his barrage even as he backed away from the charging Sith.

Drawing on the force beneath his feet, Kes let out a roar as he leapt through the air. His saber slashed downward – and hit nothing.

Kes dropped to the ground where the Trandoshan had stood a moment before and grit his teeth in frustration. He had forgotten how fast Trandoshans could move. A powerful, predatory species, the reptilian humanoids prided themselves on their martial prowess. Kes could sense no Force abilities emanating from this warrior, but that didn't mean he wasn't dangerous.

Recovering quickly from his landing, Kes leapt to his feet and spun to meet the next attack, slashing outward. It was too late; the hulking Trandoshan had closed the distance.

The butt of the blaster rifle struck his wrist. His lightsaber flew spinning out of his hand. He reached out through the Force to call it back; but before it could return, a powerful fist connected with his temple.

His head spun and his vision blurred with the impact. His lightsaber clattered to the ground and shut off. A second blow crashed into his chest, driving every molecule of air from his lungs. For a moment he felt completely weightless, as the ground rushed up to catch him.

But, even flat on his back, Kes was confident of victory. His master had taught him more of the Dark Side than just how to use a lightsaber. He raised his hands, and electricity sparked between his fingers.

The arrogant smirk on the Trandoshan's face turned to an expression of genuine fear as the lightning danced in the hands of the Sith.

Then Kes felt a jolt pass through his body that numbed his muscles and severed his connection to the Force.

A second figure – this one a diminutive blue-green alien whose ears were his most notable feature – tumbled through the destruction and landed on stubby feet beside the Trandoshan. A crooked smile lit up his wrinkled features, and his one good eye looked at the paralyzed apprentice with a hint of pride. In his three-fingered hands he gripped a blaster rifle, clearly set to stun.

They had wanted to take him alive.

With that thought, he felt his consciousness slipping from him. He was only vaguely aware of a powerful hand – with large, talon-like fingers – dragging him away from the sounds of battle and into the shadow of some large building. How could he have been so careless? Why hadn't he sensed the big-eared midget with the cybernetic eye?

And with that question unanswered, the young Sith blacked out. When he came to, he was chained in a cell with restraints that somehow blocked his connection to the Force.

Panting heavily through his bio-mask, Kes struggled against the restraints. As he pulled and twisted trying to get free, he thought he felt the floor moving underfoot. He looked down at the dingey iron plates. Even with his Force abilities blocked, he could tell he was on a ship. It seemed like a transport of some kind, and not a very big one at that.

While his captor had left him his mask, the lightsaber he had built as a child was nowhere to be seen. He could only hope his captors had been too greedy to leave the weapon behind: if it was on board, he would need it later.

He heard the muffled roar of the ship's engines coming online. The ship began to shake and vibrate around him. The restraints jostled and bit into his wrists. Kes grit his teeth, trying to use the pain to reestablish a connection to the Force. But he felt nothing except the rumbling of the ship as it lifted off the ground. Like the master who had taught him to wield it, the Dark Side was nowhere to be found in his moment of need.

His only thought as the ship lifted into the air was that he had made the exact same mistake as the people of Coruscant. The mistake his teacher had cautioned him so often against: he had failed to anticipate his attacker. His defeat at the hands of a common thug was humiliating, and he felt his rage growing as he thought about it.

The ship seemed to hover for a moment. The next instant, it felt as if every molecule in Kes' body was being pulled apart. The ship's hyperdrive engines had engaged. Leaving the ruins of Coruscant behind, the Trandoshan was taking the captive Sith even further from home.


	5. Chapter 5

**The Mandalorian Dreadnought**

Several hours must have passed before the ship dropped from hyperspace almost as abruptly as it had entered. Kes grit his teeth, fuming as a violent shudder ran through the hull. He hoped whoever had sold the ship to the two thugs was ripped in half by a Wookie, as it was nothing more than a flying slab of space junk. There was a clattering as the ship switched from its hyperdrive to the sub-light engines that made Kes nervous. It was a marvel they had even survived the jump through hyperspace.

Eventually the clattering subsided, but the junker still hung motionless in space. No sound reached him from the cockpit, but the prisoner guessed that his captors were probably communicating with some sort of landing authority. In the darkness of his cell, Kes wondered what planet or space station he had been brought to. The reason for his abduction also weighed on his mind. But ultimately he knew such questions were meaningless. All would be revealed in time; such was the way of the Force.

Kes had spent his time in hyperspace meditating, focusing his anger and preparing to wield it as a weapon against any who dared challenge the might of the Sith. Using the time in hyperspace to meditate on the coming strife was a tactic Darth Perusak had taught him years before, not long after he had first become the Sith master's apprentice. Kes knew he was still young and impatient, and meditating was still difficult for someone of his temperament. Still, there was little else to do on voyages between planets, so he had gradually learned to make it a habit.

The ship finally started moving again; moments later, he felt the resistance as it entered the atmosphere. The entry strained the already battered engines. Kes had almost come to terms with the thought of burning in the upper atmosphere of a completely unknown planet when he suddenly felt the ship lurch, then flatten out as it passed through the atmospheric barrier. Moments later, he heard the whine of the landing gear and felt a grating thud as the ship touched down.

He heard the clanging of machinery, followed by the stomping of heavy boots. Moments later, the door to his cell swung open, and could feel the power of the Dark Side surging through him again.

His exhilaration was short-lived, however, as he immediately found himself face to face with at least a dozen powerful blaster rifles. He considered hurling the mercenaries back with a Force-push, or striking them down with a bit of lightning, but he couldn't be sure at least one of them wouldn't get a shot off. Besides, there was no way to know what was waiting for him outside the ship, so – painfully swallowing his pride – he lowered his gaze and allowed himself to be led out of the cell, following the Trandoshan and the green midget down the ship's ramp, and out into the open air.

The moment he stepped off the ship he was assaulted by a blast of moist, salty air. His senses travelled out around him.

The ship had landed in a large valley, ringed on three sides by some of the largest mountains Kes had ever seen. The salty sea air drifted to him from the east, where a break in the mountains revealed a sheltered bay that led out to the open sea. The valley itself was cut nearly in half by a large river, flowing down from the mountains in the north and emptying into the sea. Trees were scattered about here and there, and Kes could hear the strange calls of unknown animals.

His escort roughly turned him away from the sea, however, and practically dragged him toward the base of the mountains. There, a massive Mandalorian destroyer had crashed against the foothills after taking damage in some forgotten battle, perhaps during the Mandalorian Wars in the time of Revan. It certainly seemed old enough, as the soil had shifted around the ship, and trees had even grown up to cover the ground scarred by the crash. There were no other structures in the valley, so Kes realized that whoever lived here must be operating out of the old ship.

As he walked forward, he felt the Force drawing his senses irresistibly toward the ship. While there were signs of animals (small lights in the energy field of the Force) all around the valley, the ship was positively glowing with life. Yet, there was something strangely off about the ship itself. Its energy was shifted neither toward Light nor Dark, yet there was a sense that something horrible had happened here.

Kes wondered if he might simply be feeling the death of those aboard the ship when it crashed. Yet, he was familiar enough with death. And this… this was something different. A perversion of death somehow. An imbalance.

The feeling grew stronger as his guards dragged him aboard the Mandalorian vessel. Their boots echoing on the iron plates underfoot, they made their way through a labyrinth of narrow tunnels until the walkway opened suddenly, and Kes found himself in the command room of the ship. This portion of the ship must have been buried into the mountainside on impact, as no light shone through the viewport windows on either side of the room. But the darkness couldn't hide the growing uneasiness Kes detected in the Force around him.

A rough-hewn throne was shrouded in darkness at the far end of the room. The shadows dancing in the low light made it difficult to discern the figure that sat on the throne. But Kes could feel a presence unlike any he had ever felt before. While he had experienced the waves of Force energy centered around many a Sith Lord in the past, this feeling was altogether different – and somehow even more sinister. It was not power he felt, neither Dark nor Light energy. It was like standing before a black hole, one barely-trained apprentice facing a wound in the Force that seemed to suck all life from the room.

What creature was this?


	6. Chapter 6

**Lair of the Force Thief**

Kes stood before the shadowed throne. A gentle probe in the Force confirmed that this being – whatever he was – was the source of the peculiar sensation Kes had felt ever since stepping out of the Trandoshan's vessel and onto this horrible planet.

A hand slipped from the shadow, motioning to his two guests to step forward. They did so, albeit with just a hint of hesitation. Kes sensed fear from the Trandoshan at least as he faced the creature. Still, he bowed low, being careful to avoid eye contact.

A voice finally spoke – smooth as Bantha milk, yet with a hint of well-concealed cruelty. "You say your names are Gruxx Brillean and Yunda, recently of Coruscant?"

The Trandoshan and his dwarfish companion nodded in turn.

"And what is it you say you've brought me?"

Gruxx turned to wave at the guards, who dragged Kes forward. The young Sith glared at the shadow, hoping the creature couldn't sense the fear slowly rising within him.

"The Sith Empire has taken the capital," Gruxx was saying. "Our homes on Coruscant are in ruins. We have nothing left. Nothing, that is, except our poor old ship, and this soldier we captured in the aftermath of the great battle. He is – "

"A young Sith," the voice interrupted. Kes didn't like the eager note in the creature's voice, or the way his boney fingers seemed to dance on the arms of his throne. "Strong in the Force. More powerful than he realizes, less powerful than he desires. How thoughtful of you, Trandoshan scum. I tire of Jedi, with their lack of emotion and their strict codes. Weak," he spat out. "Tasteless."

Kes felt his throat tighten at that last declaration. What sort of creature was this? And why did he speak of taste? A wave of pure terror suddenly washed over him. In shock, he realized the feeling emanated directly from the creature, some sort of concentrated psychic attack.

The shadows moved; the creature leaned forward suddenly. A face appeared in the dim light, drawn and pale, with strange tattoos and infinite cruelty etched into its features.

"What do you intend to buy of me at such a price?"

Kes was horrified at the apparition. Even Gruxx the fearless Trandoshan took a couple quick steps back. His big-eared friend, however, stepped forward boldly.

"A place among your soldiers," he answered in a gravelly baritone. "Asylum we seek."

The thing laughed; the pure inhumane cruelty no longer smoothed over. "Granted. Sith have such darkness," he crowed. "Such powerful emotions."

Turning his serpent-like gaze to Kes, the thing commanded, "Tell me of your creed, boy."

Kes felt the tension in his throat ease just enough to speak. He recited the Sith code robotically, from memory. "Peace is a lie, there is only passion. Through passion, I gain strength. Through strength, I gain power. Through power, I gain victory. Through victory, my chains are broken. The Force shall free me."

The last line of the creed felt bitter in his throat as he looked around the room. It would take a miracle indeed to free him from this ship.

The thing laughed on his throne. "Yes, I love to hear that. A Sith's passion is what makes him so much more delicious than a Jedi. But I must disagree with the last line."

He stood up, gesturing with his hand as he walked in front of his throne. "It speaks of the Force as if it were divine. I assure you; it is not. It is merely power. It has no will apart from those who wield it. Light, Dark, good, evil – these are concepts the Force does not create, or even understand.

"For millennia, the Jedi and Sith orders have fought over the true nature of the Force, trusting its wisdom to guide their actions. They blame their failures on the will of the Force, rather than confront their own weaknesses. And all the while, the Force stands impassive, neither growing nor diminishing, and aiding neither side. I tell you, young Sith, there is no good and evil. No Light and Dark. There is no shadow, but that which you carry within you."

A sudden foresight, a warning in the Force. Before Kes could react to his premonition, almost faster than the eye could follow, the creature was suddenly right in front of him. A hand was pressed against his chest. Horror gripped him as he felt a pain unlike anything he had ever felt before. Yet, after a moment, he realized it wasn't his body that was in pain: it was his essence in the Force.

He had never thought of his physical form and the energy of the Force within him as two separate beings until now, as it felt as if the Force were being pulled right out of him.

"And your shadow, young Sith, is exquisite."

The pain stopped suddenly, and he slumped to the floor. He had never felt so weak. The creature stood over him, radiating even more energy in the Force than he had before.

"But I should ration myself," the being hissed above him. He turned suddenly to Kes' captors. "Thank you so very much. Speak to my steward about your rooms and duties aboard the ship."

Still unable to look up, Kes sensed a motion of the creature's arm. The guards who had escorted him into the room stepped forward to hoist him up from the floor. Barely aware of his surroundings, he was dragged out of the chamber and deeper into the belly of the ship. He didn't return to full awareness until he found himself face-down in a cell more spacious than the last, but no less uninviting. His senses told him that he was not alone, but he was too tired and too shaken to care.


	7. Chapter 7

**Escape Plan**

A figure stooped outside his cell. "Psst! Hey, Sith! Are you alive? What's your name?"

Still unable to lift himself up from the floor, Kes turned his head to face the speaker. His masked eyes met the gaze of a humanoid alien with a rather bulbous head and large, intelligent eyes. After thinking a moment, he recognized his visitor as a Dressellian, a species noted throughout the Outer Rim for their cunning but generally considered harmless. Seeing as he was outside the bars, and there was no one else in sight, the Sith guessed his visitor to be the jailor.

"I'm Kes Vunu. Who are you?" he asked the Dressellian hoarsely. "And where am I?"

The Dressellian sat on the floor next to the bars. "Well," he began, "my name is Alkondor, I'm in charge of the prisoners, and it's a pleasure to meet you, Kes. Now, you're on the planet Terrabyss, in the palatial abode of Basto Tasmen, Lord of Terrabyss. And it looks like his lordship did a real number on you, too."

Kes found the strength to force himself onto his knees so he could look the Dressellian in the eyes. "I've never heard of a creature like that. What in the great universe is he?"

"Not sure there's a name for it," said Alkondor. "Some ritual went bad I guess. Now he has to feed on Force energy just to stay alive. He's incredibly powerful, and anyone who speaks his name talks about him as if he were a god. Which he basically is out here. Most of the guys who follow Lord Tasmen had never seen Force abilities until he showed up, but they had heard the stories. Then they met Basto, capable of breaking even Force masters in a matter of moments."

Kes rolled over onto his back and let out a sigh. "Wonderful," he said, bitterness creeping into his sarcasm.

The Force-thief seemed impossible to beat, even if Kes did know where his lightsaber was. Of more immediate concern, nothing the Dressellian had said revealed his feelings toward his prisoner. Still, Kes thought he picked up on a sense of friendliness, or perhaps pity, as the alien spoke. He looked back at Alkondor suddenly.

"Are you Force-sensitive?" he asked, feeling Force energy coming from somewhere nearby.

"Do you think Lord Basto would let me be on this side of the bars if I was?" The Dressellian crossed his legs under him and shook his head. "Nope. I was sold to pay off a debt."

Though his expression was carefully controlled, Kes could feel the man's pain as said this. He looked around at the other cells, all of which seemed empty. "Who else is down here?"

A grin spread across Alkondor's broad face. "Felt the Force, did you? Yeah, now that there are two of you, I can finally put my plan in motion."

Kes sat up, eyes narrowing on his newfound friend. "What plan?"

"An escape plan," Alkondor grinned, leaning forward until his face touched the bars. "You, me, and the Jedi in the next cellblock. We're leaving."

So, Lord Basto Tasmen had another prisoner in his dungeons. And a Jedi at that? Kes leaned back in his cell. Well, things were getting interesting.

The Dressellian leapt to his feet suddenly. "I'll make sure no one is coming."

With this sudden declaration, Alkondor scurried off toward the anteroom of the prison. In a few minutes he returned, and produced a key card that would unlock the cell which held Kes. Before opening the door, however, he looked the Sith directly in the eye. "I need to know that you and the Jedi master will be able to work together to get us out of here. You can't kill each other just yet."

The Sith leaned forward until his bio-mask brushed the cell bars. "Promise."

Reaching out his hand and focusing his mind, Kes used the Force to pull the key from Alkondor's grip and across the automatic lock. The door slid open as the Dressellian stared in awe.

"I… I knew you could – I've never actually seen something like that before!" His broad face spread into a grin. "This escape is definitely going to work. There's no way they can stop two of you!"

Dropping the key card to the floor in front of him, Kes turned toward the door that led to the next cellblock. "Shall we?"

Alkondor nodded, stooping to pick up the card and scurrying forward to unlock the door ahead. He stepped through and, after glancing quickly around the block, motioned Kes forward.

Kes strode through the doorway with his hands crossed behind his back. With his shoulders straight, chest forward, and emotions hidden behind his dark mask and goggles, the apprentice did his best to emanate the same air of power he had often felt from the great masters of the Sith. A nagging voice at the back of his mind told him it would not be enough to fool the master Jedi.

As he marched along the narrow hallway between the empty cells, he felt the Jedi's mind reach out inquisitively. When he reached the last cell and stopped, a gray-skinned Twi'lek looked up at him. Kes had seen many Twi'leks in the course of the war, but he had never seen one with gray skin before.

"It used to be yellow," the Jedi said.

Kes was taken aback. "What?" he finally managed to croak.

"Gray isn't a natural skin tone for the Twi'lek," replied the Jedi, as if answering his thoughts. "I believe that it has something to do with being fed on by the Force-thief."

That made sense. The Jedi stood up suddenly, prompting Kes to take a step back against the opposite cell.

"I am Master Codjivic of the Jedi." He looked up at the Sith, almost three inches taller. "Whom have I the honor of addressing?"

Kes looked down at the hand the Jedi was extending. Accepting the gesture went against everything Kes had ever learned, against the very principles he believed in. But he also remembered what Lord Basto had said about the Force. It knew neither Light nor Dark. Whether that was true or not, perhaps Dark and Light could team up – just this once – to escape from under the monster's shadow.

Kes reached out and accepted Master Codjivic's hand. "I am Kes Vunu,"he said proudly, "a warrior of the Sith."


	8. Chapter 8

**Dark and Light Align**

Still holding the Sith's hand, Jedi Master Codjivic bowed, a courtesy that Kes certainly wasn't expecting, but which he reciprocated awkwardly.

Alkondor smiled, his large eyes flicking back and forth between the two Force-wielders. Satisfied they wouldn't kill each other – at least not just yet – the Dressellian reached out and slid his key card across the lock of the Jedi's cell. A grin lit up his face as the door swung open. A moment later, Master Codjivic stepped out to join them in the narrow hallway.

Kes drew himself up to his full height to face the Jedi. In spite of the fact that Kes was actually taller than Master Codjivic, the gray-skinned Twi'lek somehow managed to dominate the space. Kes realized quickly that it wasn't Master Codjivic's physical form that inspired awe, but rather his strong connection to the living Force. It easily dwarfed the Sith's own powers, threatening to overshadow the dark aura he projected.

Kes closed off his thoughts, feeling the Jedi probing at the edge of his consciousness. He had heard a lot about the Jedi and their mind games from his master. They constantly sought to corrupt warriors, convincing them to turn away from their destinies and give up their emotions. They claimed to serve peace, but Kes knew better. He knew that it was the Jedi that had driven the Sith to the far edge of the galaxy.

The master's voice cut into his thoughts. "You have been a Sith since your early childhood?"

Rather than trying to glean information directly from the Sith's mind, Master Codjivic asked his question verbally, in a calm, polite tone that still suggested he had already guessed the answer.

Kes nodded at the question, his thoughts drifting back to his early days of near-starvation in the Outer Rim. When the Sith had attacked the planet, Darth Perusak had found the young Kel Dor and sensed his emerging Force abilities. Kes had been sent to the newly-reopened Sith Academy on Corriban, and eventually Darth Perusak had chosen to take him on as his personal apprentice. There were certainly more powerful dark lords among the Sith, but Kes was still honored to have been chosen.

The Jedi felt the shift in Kes' thoughts, but what it represented was a mystery to him. The young Sith's mind was closed, and Master Codjivic had already chosen not to violate his privacy.

Instead, he decided to change the subject with a more relevant question. "Have you learned levitation?"

Again Kes nodded. This time his eyes narrowed behind his goggles. "Why do you ask?" he wondered.

It was Alkondor who answered. "That's why I need Force-wielders," he explained. "There is a way out of here, but the controls are out of my reach. This way."

He turned, motioning back toward the door he and Kes had just come through. After a brief pause as the Jedi and Sith eyed each other warily, the trio moved through the passage with the Dressellian in the lead. As they crossed back through the first cell block, the Jedi asked another question.

"Are you sure you've recovered enough from your interview with Basto Tasmen?"

Kes could feel the Jedi master's gaze on him, and realized that he probably looked as tired and sick as he felt. But his strength had returned somewhat, so he merely shrugged his shoulders, refusing to meet Codjivic's gaze. "I'm fine. Let's get out of here."

Understanding what the apprentice was going through, Master Codjivic nodded as Alkondor swiped his card at the entrance to the prison. The heavy blast door slid open and the trio stepped into the anteroom.

Grinning back at the former prisoners, the Dressellian pointed upward. At the center of the ceiling, at least 12 feet above their heads, was a metal grate for a ventilation shaft. This was their way off the ship.

Kes knew what needed to be done. Without a word, he leapt upward. The Dark Side aided his efforts, lifting him into the air with relative ease. His fingers closed around the grate. He dropped back to the floor, tossing the grate aside. The Sith smiled, satisfied that the strength lost to the Force-thief was returning. The way out was open now.

The Jedi was the first into the ventilation shaft. He leapt through the opening, rolling himself into a ball and crawling away from the hatchway. After a moment, he turned and looked down at the others, whispering, "All clear."

When the Jedi held out his hand, Kes reached out through the Force and lifted Alkodor off the ground. The Dressellian's eyes went wide as the ground dropped away from under his feet. He felt completely weightless as Kes sent him flying upward with a flick of the wrist, then Master Codjivic caught him as if he were merely a feather, and pulled him into the ventilation shaft. He paused a moment to steady his rapidly-beating heart before moving forward.

Stopping just long enough to pick up the grate, Kes followed, coming to his hands and knees inside the narrow metal-plated tunnel and sliding the grate back into its place. The first step in their escape had been a complete success, but Kes couldn't help wondering what lay around the next turn in the dimly-lit air shaft.

They moved along for a little while like this. Master Codjivic led the way, allowing the Force to warn him of any potential dangers. The Dressellian went next, pointing out which way to go when they reached turns in the ventilation. And Kes acted as a rearguard, in the event that anyone discovered their escape. After crawling roughly 30 yards and changing direction multiple times, the tunnel opened up suddenly, and the trio found themselves in the central hub of the Mandalorian ship's ventilation system.


	9. Chapter 9

**No Retreat**

Kes looked around the room cautiously. The ceiling was higher here, giving them just enough room to stand. The room itself was circular, with a narrow walkway clinging to the wall above an enormous fan set perpendicularly in the floor. The fan was spinning, the massive steel blades moving air between the different levels of the ship and rattling the walkway on which they now stood. The sheer volume of air being moved through the chamber made it difficult to catch a full breath.

In the opposite wall, a smaller fan moved air into the forward part of the ship. "Smaller" of course, was a relative term: the opening was large enough for them to fit through, and the blades were more than large enough to slice them in half. This smaller fan – and the tunnel beyond it – was where Kes felt Alkondor's thoughts drifting.

Both Force-wielders turned to the Dressellian standing between them.

"That's how we get out?" Kes demanded over the roaring of the fans. "How do we get past the blades?"

"Use the Force," Alkodor exclaimed. "Why do you think I brought you two along? There's a button to turn off the fan, but it can only be shut down from an access panel… on the other side of the fan. It's not meant to be shut off from this side."

The Jedi Master stroked his chin thoughtfully. "And the normal access is in a populated area of the ship?"

"Right." Alkondor nodded vigorously. "The electronics are faulty: you'll have to hold the button down to keep the blades from turning."

Master Codjivic circled the platform cautiously, with the catwalk creaking under each step. He stopped just in front of the wall fan and peered between the spinning blades. The button to shut the fan off was just visible around a turn to the left approximately a yard down the passage. Holding his hand just in front of the blades, the Jedi focused on the button. It pressed downward, and the blades slowed to a stop. He released his hold on the button, and the fan started spinning again.

Alkondor was right about the wiring being faulty.

"Once this fan shuts off," the Dressellian continued, "we'll crawl about five yards forward, around the corner to the right, where there's a ladder going up. The hatch at the top only opens from the outside, so one of you will have to use the Force to open it while the other keeps the fan shut off. If the fan starts up while we're in there, we'll be sucked in."

He looked up at the Kel Dor. "That's why I needed two of you," he finished.

Master Codjivic turned from the Dressellian to Kes. The young Sith could sense the question the Jedi was about to ask.

"I'll start with the button," he answered.

The Jedi nodded as Kes reached out a hand and the fan ground to a halt. Alkondor scurried between the blades the moment they were still, with Master Codjivic following quickly behind him. Once inside the tunnel, the Jedi held the button, and Kes dove through the opening.

Alkondor's grin returned. "The Force probably doesn't know what to think with the two of you working together like this." He ignored the begrudging looks the Fore-wielders threw at each other as he continued, "The ladder is just ahead. Master Vunu?"

Kes nodded. Leaving Master Codjivic to hold the button down and the blades shut off, he darted around the corner and climbed rapidly up the ladder. As Alkondor had said, there was no opening mechanism on the inside of the hatch, but he could feel a wheel on the outside. As he reached out through the Force, a smile spread across his face. Beyond the hatch was open air; this was the last obstacle keeping them on the ship.

Reaching upward, he felt the wheel on the other side of the hatch through the Force. It was stuck, and probably hadn't been opened since the ship crashed – and the Mandalorian Wars had ended 300 years ago.

He closed his eyes to better focus his thoughts, remembering the rage he had felt as he stood before Lord Tasmen. A yellow glint appeared behind his goggles, and the wheel began turning, although far more slowly than Kes would have liked. He looked down and back to where the Jedi Master knelt calmly, eyes closed as he meditated and held the button in place.

The Jedi's calm further frustrated the young Sith. His anger flowed into the wheel above him, which twisted and turned beneath the sudden increase in power. The wheel turned more quickly now.

"Carefully now, young Master Sith," the Jedi cautioned. "If it breaks, we're trapped here. I don't think either of us are strong enough in the Force to blast that door open directly."

Kes grit his teeth, but he knew the Jedi was right. Taking a deep, cleansing breath, he got back to work, just more slowly now. The wheel continued to turn. Finally, Kes felt the bolts release. There was a hiss of air and a soft whine from the hinges as the three-hundred-year-old seal broke free.

Alkondor scurried up the ladder behind him. "Is that it? Is it open?"

With a soft chuckle, Kes nodded and pressed up on the hatch.

Master Codjivic's eyes snapped open suddenly. "Wait!"

The smile disappeared from the Sith's face as he felt a presence.

The hatch was jerked open violently. As the blinding glare of the sun poured down, half a dozen blasters framed the opening, held in the harsh grip of Lord Tasmen's mercenaries. A yellow-eyed Amanin – with three skulls swinging on his bandoleer – leered down at the group. And beside him, the Trandoshan who had brought Kes to this planet in the first place.

The young Sith fumed. He had been careless again.


	10. Chapter 10

**The Force Bond**

Lord Basto Tasmen – the Force-thief – was not on his dark throne when the recaptured trio was dragged into the command room. Liberal use of stunners and the threat of much worse had prevented resistance, but Kes had felt his rage building toward the breaking point as the thugs manhandled him back aboard the ship.

The calm radiating from Master Codjivic, and the sheer terror rolling off the Dressellian were quickly wearing on his nerves, driving his rage closer and closer to an outcome he would probably regret.

The trio was shoved to their knees on the steel floor as the Force-thief swept into the room. His black robe draped to the floor, and his hood kept his face from view, but Kes could feel a temper that rivalled his own bubbling beneath the surface. When the creature turned to face the kneeling trio, his eyes seemed to burn out of the darkness of his cowl.

But he stopped short abruptly, seeing something in the Sith's glare that surprised him, a glow in the eyes that mirrored the passion of his own glare.

His pale lips spread in a cruel smile. "Slaves making a getaway?"

While the Jedi looked straight ahead, calmly ignoring the monster, Alkondor dropped his eyes to the floor.

But Kes grit his teeth. He was no slave.

With a blur of motion, the creature stood in front of him. "I see your eyes, Sith," he hissed. "You think you're not a slave? What do you call your devotion to the Force, your precious Dark Side, if not slavery?"

He turned toward the Jedi. "See this follower of the Light, boy? He too thinks he's a free man. He's conquered the chains of his emotions, but only by passing off his independence to the Force's will. And what did I tell you about the Force? The Force is pure energy. It doesn't favor the Light or the Dark. It is simply power, made violent by the foibles and conceits of those who call themselves its masters."

Kes felt the first hint of fear from the Jedi as Lord Tasmen placed a hand on his shoulder. The creature chuckled. "Let me show you what happens to slaves of the Force."

A surge of power flowed from Master Codjivic through the creature's hand. Pain was written on the Jedi's face, but he kept his emotions under control, which prompted a low growl from Lord Tasmen.

"I think this will be your last meal, master Jedi," he snarled. "What? No last words?"

"You're… wrong… about the Force. It is more powerful… more than even you can understand. It… will not… tolerate evil forever."

The creature laughed. "Perhaps not, Jedi. But it won't help you today."

With a sigh, Codjivic slumped against the creature. As Tasmen continued to drain the master, Kes struggled against the arms that held him.

The Jedi turned his eyes to the young Sith suddenly. Kes was shocked to see no fear there. In fact, a faint smile appeared on Codjivic's face.

That's when Kes felt it. An energy surged through him like nothing he had ever felt before. The Force seemed to come alive in his blood, in his very being. At the same time, he felt a connection to the Jedi; felt his pain, and heard the master's voice. At the end of his strength, Codjivic had reached out and formed a Force-bond with one who should have been his enemy.

"_Even Sith can serve the Force. Take my power, and end this evil."_

Lord Tasmen drew back his hand suddenly, his eyes going wide as he turned toward the Sith. Master Codjivic slumped to the floor, his eyes closing as he slipped from consciousness.

Lightning sparked from the Sith's hands, fire danced behind his eyes. A wave of energy pulsed out from his body, throwing the guards back. He floated up from the floor and turned to face the Force-thief.

Alkondor looked up at him in awe. Everyone else in the room, both the soldiers and Lord Tasmen, shrunk back in fear.

Lightning still crackling around his hands, Kes brought his feet back down to the floor. He scanned the room, saw the horror on the ring of faces. And he smiled.

White bolts of lightning leapt from his fingertips, striking out in jagged arcs at the guards. Those struck shuddered violently and dropped to the floor. The remainder turned and fled en masse, leaving the Sith to face only the Force-stealer himself.

Tasmen took a step back toward his throne. But with his next step he felt only air. The lightning gone, a wave of the Sith's hand lifted the Lord of Terrabyss until his head was only inches from the ceiling. Tasmen felt his windpipe constricting, his heart raced even as the air fled his lungs. And still all he could see was the glaring yellow eyes of the Sith, shining from behind his goggles.

Codjivic stirred faintly, his eyes fluttering open. Alkondor darted to his side and cradled his head.

"Wait!"

The spark faded from Kes' eyes as he heard the hoarse voice of the Jedi.

"Don't kill him. I will take him back to Coruscant, he should stand trial for his crimes. Even monsters have the right to a trial."

Kes thought a moment. "No, they don't, Jedi," he said finally. "I should know. Besides, perhaps you haven't heard yet, but Coruscant has enough problems of its own right now."

Lord Basto's eyes went wide as the pressure returned to his throat. A moment later, his head lurched violently to one side, and his eyes went dark. The body dropped to the floor, the black hood finally falling back from a shriveled, pale face. Even in death, cruel eyes glared at his killer.

The Sith turned from the lifeless corpse and looked down at Alkondor and the Jedi. "Coruscant has fallen. The selflessness of the Jedi made the entire Republic weak. That same selflessness is why you now find yourself unable to pick yourself up, while I stand here triumphant."

He knelt beside the Jedi, and a feeling almost like pity rose up inside him. "Don't you see? You gave me the victory, Jedi. Just like your brothers and sisters gave the Empire the victory in Coruscant. And one day, the Jedi Order will fall, victim to the same weakness."


End file.
